Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-18
RYAN'S MURDERERS.
THE GANG LOCATED AND A DESPERATE
BATTLE FOUGHT
Details Of One Of the Most Horrible Grimes IN West
Virginias Criminal Annals-TwoOfthe Slay-
ers Lynchsd-A Detective Imph-
Gated in the Crime.
Special T!egrcTl to the Register.

Special Ts!egrcn 10 the Register.
CHARLESTON, W. VA, October H.
The most outrageous robbery and murder,
that has occurred in this section since the
killing of young Woods and the rObblng
of his fathers residence near this city four
years ago, was perpetrated last Thursday
night near Walton at which time number
of masked men, visited the house of Rev.
Thomas P. Ryan, and demanded his money.
The old man, who had grown gray in min
isterial duties warned the robbers and told
them that he bad gun and might hurt
some of them as he knew some OF
the names. Upon this one of the
robbers, Coon, shot the old man
in the stomach and compelled the family
to remove him to an upstairs room, where
in great agony he prayed for the forgive
ness of his murderers, and after hours OF
great suffering died. By this time his
murderers, who had secured but small
sum of money, were far away, but the
news that Rev. Ryan had been murdered
spread like wild fire on the plain, and
great numbers of his friends and acquaint-
ances gathered to learn the sad truth.
A vigilance committee was organized by
young and old, and those who had received
religious consolation from the teachings OF
the old man started in pursuit OF his muir
derers. All day Friday the search was
kept up, and not until that morning did
the pursuers run upon the pursued, who
were found at the residence OF George Duff,
who resides in
A COMFORTABLE HOME
on the middleforkS of the Kanawha river,
some fifteen miles from the scene of the
murder. 1t was here that the outlaws had
fortified themselves and bid defiance to the
law abiding citizens who were in pursuit,
There was no surrender, and each party
fought with the desperation Of madness.
George Duff, Jr., was fatally wounded,
and died Saturday. Jake Coon, who Is
said to have been newcomer into the
county, but former desperate from the
west, together with youth named Drake
and Bob Duff, brother of George, were cap
tured. Coon, Duff and Drake were taken
to the home of Ryan for Identification.
The two former were identified by members
of the dead preachers family. Coon was
lynched, while Bob Duff was shot and his
throat cut
FROM ONE EAR TO THE OTHER.
Drake, who was not identified, was put
on a horse and started down the road be-
tween two lines of mOuntaneers, whom, it
is said, shot all around him, not with the
intention of killing him, but to make him
confess. There were over four hundred
men who did the intimidating shooting.
Drake was brought back and confessed,
giving the names OF all concerned in the
murder and robbery. He was told that
he would be taken to Spencer, the county
seat of ROane county, and gwen chance
for his life, A portion of the yigilants
started with him for Spencer, while the
others divided into squads and started in
search of others OF the robbers. Both Coon
and Drake confessed that Dan Cunning
ham, member of the
EUREKA DETECTIVE AGENCY,
whose headquarters are in this city, was
the party who planned the whole affair,
and those who were his followers carried
out his plans. There were over twenty
people who were engaged in the murder
of Reverend Ryan, and the robbery of a
number OF stores throughout sections OF
Roane and Jackson counties. Fully three
hundred men are after Cunningham and
others whose names the vigilaDts have.
| The vigilants swear they will have the
! leaders or die in the attpmOt Among the
vigilants who were Injured in the fight
with the outlaws are: Jim Rains, Will
and Dick Skeins, George Umfry and Dan
Wells, none of whose wounds are serious.
This whole thing clears up many mysteri-
ous actions of the region where the mur,
der happened during the past few years.
1t is evident that more lynchiugs will Oc'
cur as soon as arrests can be made. The
citizens are determined and are workin4
with the promise of rewards.